After Intel’s Haswell comes Broadwell, Sk……

Intel CPU families until the second half of the decade (Updated)

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) is always putting out new code names, and some that we hear we have to sit on until they leak a bit. The following four, Haswell and the next three, are good examples of that.

Right now, you know about Sandy Bridge, it is the current Core iSomethingmeaningless, usually with some number attached, all wrapped around a naming scheme that would confuse even the most anal number cruncher. The follow on, Ivy Bridge, is the 22nm shrink of Sandy, and the point where Intel tries out die stacking technology.

A year after that is Haswell, a new architecture on the same 22nm process as Ivy. Haswell is where Intel starts getting serious about die stacking, interposers, and related advanced packaging technologies. If Sandy is Core iSomethingmeaningless 2xxx, and Ivy is Core iSomethingmeaningless 3xxx, Haswell is logically set to be Core iSomethingmeaningless 4xxx. That means it will definitely NOT be Core iSomethingmeaningless 4xxx.

﻿Update: Meaningless numbers off by 1000. Fixed.

We had originally stated that it was going to use Larrabee graphics on die, but that plan was pulled when Larrabee dumped the ISA of LRB1 and LRB2 for the new LRB3/Knights Corner ISA. If you are not confused yet, you are missing something, so read this explanation for more. The next one we had originally heard was called Rockwell, but for some reason the roadmaps seen by SemiAccurate all say Broadwell now. We are not sure if something changed or we just saw a bit of misinformation. Either way, we are pretty sure Broadwell is the 16nm Haswell successor.

From there we get to yet another new architecture, the family is called SkyLake, but we have also seen it as Sky Lake. Given a three year gestation time for CPUs, this family is all about ideas, arguments, and simulations more than silicon right now. Basically all you can say here is that it is going to be on a 16nm process. We have heard this is where Larrabee2: The Revenge GPUs get integrated, but last time we had concrete info, the decision between that and GenX graphics was still a topic of much debate. GenX is not suitable for a modern flashlight, Larrabee2: The Revenge GPUs may be CPU material, but that is far from proven.

There is only one thing concrete about SkyLake’s successor is that it is called Skymont, but that may pull a Rockwell on us for reasons that are, like Rockwell, never made clear. It is likely built on an 11nm process, and that is about it. For now.S|A

Charlie Demerjian is the founder of Stone Arch Networking Services and SemiAccurate.com. SemiAccurate.com is a technology news site; addressing hardware design, software selection, customization, securing and maintenance, with over one million views per month. He is a technologist and analyst specializing in semiconductors, system and network architecture. As head writer of SemiAccurate.com, he regularly advises writers, analysts, and industry executives on technical matters and long lead industry trends. Charlie is also a council member with Gerson Lehman Group. FullyAccurate

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Charlie Demerjian is the founder of Stone Arch Networking Services and SemiAccurate.com. SemiAccurate.com is a technology news site; addressing hardware design, software selection, customization, securing and maintenance, with over one million views per month. He is a technologist and analyst specializing in semiconductors, system and network architecture. As head writer of SemiAccurate.com, he regularly advises writers, analysts, and industry executives on technical matters and long lead industry trends. Charlie is also a council member with Gerson Lehman Group. FullyAccurate

Thomas Ryan is based in Seattle, Washington. Thomas first began to appreciate the wonders of the semiconductor industry while doing research on his previous favorite hobby, PC gaming. Having co- purchased his first computer at the ripe old age of 11, with $150 and the help of Craigslist he's been buying and building computers ever since.

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